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Tuesday, July 06, 2010

The short, longer, longest skirt. A pattern review of Simplicity 2449

Three skirts in one.

As long as you don't mind a little fussing to switch from short to longer to longest.

Simplicity 2449 is the pattern used to sew this skirt. At my son's benefit one of his friends had on a skirt similar to this. I knew I wanted to make one as soon as I saw hers. I remember sewing a dress with a hemline like this back in the early 90s from a McCall's NYNY pattern so I knew how to achieve that cloud effect.

However, turns out Simplicity had released a skirt pattern with the exact hemline treatment I was looking for. So I parted ways with my 99 cents (plus tax) and brought the pattern home with me.

The ten panel skirt is simple to sew. It's nice and full too. So you'll want to hem this baby with your machine.

If you're one of those sewers who doesn't care much for sewing in zippers you'll be thrilled to know this skirt actually has an elastic waist. One inch wide elastic is inserted into a wide bias casing. Personally I thought it was a fitted yoke so I'm on the fence as to whether or not I like the waistline. But it sure does have comfy in its favor!

The cloud effect is achieved with ties secured to the seam allowances on the inside of the skirt. How tight or loose you tie the ties will determine how short the skirt becomes.

For instance, if you like the short look as shown here...

... you would tie the inside ties tightly, as shown here.

If you like a little longer look as shown here...

... you would tie the inside ties a little looser, as shown here.

Finally, if you like the look of a full long skirt, as shown here...

... you would tie the inside ties together making sure not to pull up the skirt fabric, as shown here. You do have to tie the ties for this look as the ties hang down below the hemline otherwise.

As you can see it's a pretty versatile skirt. I like the longer cloud effect version the best.

Even knowing my husband is thinking "It's not normal to wear a skirt like that. It looks like you got your skirt caught in something and need to pull it out." But I still love him.

I never would have thought to add this technique to a regular skirt ( the ties that is). This is a technique that we use to bustle wedding gowns, called "pick-ups". I think it's clever; functional and versatile. Great job!

That skirt is so neat. All three lengths look great on you. And it would be a wonderfully versatile piece in a travel wardrobe. Your DH sounds like mine. He just doesn't get garment with different "non traditional" styling.

I'm not sure if it's one I'd wear myself, but it looks great on you! I think I like the shortest length best, actually....kind of the look of a bubble skirt without actually being a bubble skirt. Normally I'd like the longest view the best, but I'd want it even longer, like a full-length skirt.